"By The Face At Lucca": Choose Your Own Medieval Relic-Based Oath

"It is a familiar fact that William Rufus liked to swear by the Holy Face — the Vultus Sanctus or Volto Santo — of Lucca. We have Eadmer’s word for it: * ‘By the Holy Face of Lucca’, for thus he was wont to swear, ‘neither he at this time, nor anyone else, shall be archbishop — except myself.’ ’ The king is reported to have used the oath on several other occasions."

"By the"

Adjective:

Holy

Sacred

Precious

Intangible

Consecrated

Dismaying

Particular

Stupendous

Extremely pleasant

Blest

Foolish-for-Christ

Discalced

Myrhh-bearing

Sanctified

Reverenced

Faultless

Uncorrupt

Venerable

Virtuous

Highly temperant

Equal-to-apostles

Relic:

Girdle

Holy Face

Sandals

Facsimile

Chasuble

Bones

Heart

Egg

Armed corpse

Grapes

Humerus

Highly decorated skull

Cincture

Arm

Wristlets

Antimins

Neckerchief

Tooth

Knuckles

Preposition:

At

Of

In

Saint or Holy City:

St. Thomas

James the Lesser

St. John the Baptist

The Cathedral at Fulda

Thomas of Becket

Wenceslas of Bohemia

St. Verena

St. Dominicus

The Dolopians

Fossanova

St. Boniface

Stephen of Hungary

Abraham of Smolensk

Acca of Hexham

St. Lachtin

Crete

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